Abstract

In the present study treatment with high doses of dexamphetamine (5 and 10 mg/kg ip) as well as apomorphine (1.5 and 3 mg/kg ip) was found to induce sniffing and oral movement variety (OMV) of stereotyped behaviour (SB) in rats. Pretreatment with haloperidol antagonised the SB induced by lamotrigine and that induced by apomorphine and dexamphetamine. This indicates that DAergic mechanisms are involved in the induction of SB by lamotrigine in rats. Pretreatment with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine results in depletion of both DA and noradrenaline from the DAergic and noradrenergic neurons respectively whereas pretreatment with small doses of apomorphine cause selective depletion of DA from the DAergic neurons. Further, the intensity of haloperidol catalepsy depends on the dose of haloperidol used, increasing with increase in dose. The effect of pretreatment with small doses of apomorphine was therefore studied on the SB induced by lamotrigine, apomorphine and dexamphetamine. The results were statistically analyzed based on student’s t-test.

Key words: Haloperidol, Lamotrigine, Phenyltriazine, Bipolar depression, Neurotransmitter, Cataleptic disorder, Antiepileptic stabilizer